10 things you need to know this morning in Australia

Good morning, folks.

Banks are struggling to get borrowers to start paying their loans again, with as much as $200 billion in frozen debt to be kicked into the new year

The latest APRA figures show most banks are struggling to get customers to restart repayments. In August, just $10 billion worth of loans were thawed, leaving $229 billion frozen – including $160 billion in mortgages.

These are the Australian suburbs under the most mortgage stress — and nearly all of them have one thing in common

New analysis by credit rating agency Equifax has revealed which suburbs are facing the most mortgage stress. Queensland dominates the list with nine of its tourist destinations in the top ten.

The new banking watchdog has named and shamed its first case for 'systemic breaches' of the code – but the culprit won't face any penalties

The Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) has sanctioned Bendigo Bank for four years of breaching the Banking Code. There will be no penalties however, beyond being named and shamed.

There are now 1.5 million podcasts on Spotify. Here's what Australians are actually listening to.

Spotify has listed the top five podcasts on its platfrom in Australia. The list includes The Squiz and The Betoota Advocate Podcast. It comes as September 30 marks International Podcast Day.

Bunnings is bringing back sausage sizzles in NSW and ACT after a 6-month break in fundraisers

Bunnings is bringing back its sausage sizzles in NSW and the ACT. It comes after Bunnings suspended the iconic fundraiser in March due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Uber has defended its 30% restaurant commission fee, arguing that the company supports Australian businesses in other ways

Uber has defended the controversial high commissions it charges to restaurants using its Uber Eats platform, saying the company helps to drive business back to the restaurants via marketing and other support.

The first Trump-Biden debate was a microcosm of how broken American capitalism is

During Tuesday's debate, President Donald Trump kept interrupting former Vice President Joe Biden, something remarked upon by moderator Chris Wallace.

Palantir is officially a public company — and investors are bidding up shares in the money-losing, 17-year-old data mining business

Shares of the big data company Palantir began trading on Wednesday via a direct listing. The New York Stock Exchange established a reference price of $US7.25 per share, valuing the company at about $US16 billion ahead of its official debut.

How to tell if you're experiencing hearing loss and what you can do about it, according to an expert

You may not have realised it, but you could have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing usually deteriorates slowly over time, and the signs that you're having trouble hearing can manifest in subtle ways.

Unsubscribe • Email to a Friend • Privacy Policy

View this email via your browser

10 things you need to know this morning in Australia

Good morning.

Australian banks are preparing for more than $7 billion worth of deferred loans to turn bad

Australia's largest banks have put aside more than $7 billion in bad loan provisions related to COVID-19. With Australia holding some of the highest household debt in the world, a sudden and sharp recession is expected to diminish borrowers' ability to repay their debts.

Aussie fintech Airwallex has raised another $56 million as it eyes expansion in the US, Middle East and Africa

Airwallex nabbed an additional US$40 million ($56 million) in an extended series D funding round, taking its total funding in the round to US$200 million ($282 million).

Netflix has commissioned its first Australian original documentary – a deep dive on the almost-alien creatures that call the Great Barrier Reef home

Netflix has commissioned its first Austrlaian original docmentary, "Microworlds: Reef". The documenrary is set in The Great Barrier Reef and gives viewers a peek into the world of the reef's tiny inhabitants.

Dan Murphy's announces pre-orders for cult hard seltzer brand White Claw after reporting a 798% surge in searches on its website

Dan Murphy's is the first Aussie retailer that will let you pre-order the hit seltzer brand White Claw. White Claw Hard Seltzer gained popularity in the US after launching there in 2016, and it will soon be available in Australia.

What is a neobank – and what are they offering in Australia?

Neobanks, or digital banks, became a possibility in Australia in 2018 after a change in legislation opened the floodgates. Since late 2019, a wave of digital banks have arrived in Australia, seeing competition in banking heat up for the first time in decades.

The global coronavirus death toll has officially reached 1 million — although experts believe the actual death toll is much higher

The global coronavirus death toll has officially surpassed 1 million. But experts believe that because of underreporting in several countries, the actual death toll is much higher.

I had to teach my NYU psych class to 360 students from a cell phone while trapped in an elevator with my kids. It went surprisingly well.

Jay Van Bavel is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at New York University, which is currently following a hybrid learning model with both in-person classes and virtual instruction.

Tell us how you feel about love and dating during COVID-19 for the chance to win a $500 Uber Eats voucher

Hello folks, it's us again. It's no secret that love and dating have changed somewhat in 2020. Not only are our lives increasingly digital, but we've also been hit with a pandemic which complicates the very concept of being near other people.

How to identify productivity pitfalls, and how to avoid them in the future

As workplaces continue to mutate into a mixture of designated buildings and makeshift home offices, productivity has become increasingly difficult to monitor as the focus shifts away from simple benchmarks such as hours logged.

Unsubscribe • Email to a Friend • Privacy Policy

Business Outsider